Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 Recap

Its the end of the year and time to say goodbye to 2012.  It has been a good year for Rachel, Haley and Kayla.  I'm grateful that 2012 was good and my girls are healthy!  

These pictures of the girls were taken on December 22 at Memorial Park in Houston. 

Rachel, Kayla, Haley

Rachel  
Its been a good year for Rachel.  Rachel has grown so much throughout 2012.  She is getting so tall.  Really she is appropriate height for her age.  She just seems tall in comparison to little Haley.  Rachel's highlights of the year:

- Had one trip to the ER in July due to a bad stomach bug.  Hey I'm not complaining.  I'm so glad it was only one trip throughout the year. 
- Turned 3 on August 4th.
- Started Preschool late August.  
- Has had 4 or more ear infections throughout the year.  She is prone to them even though she has tubes in her ears.
- Less visits to the doctor (overall). 

Rachel
 
 Haley 
It has also been a good year for Haley.  She is still a little girl and is going to be petite.  Even though the endocrinologist recommends growth hormone, we at this time are not going to do it.  I just don't want to have her go through daily shots.  She has already been through so much.  She will be fine no matter her size.  Haley's highlights for 2012:

- Had her tonsils removed in February.  Was the best thing for her.  Those tonsils were huge.
-Also had one trip to the ER in July due to that awful stomach bug.  She got so dehydrated.  Poor girl.  Glad she only had one trip as well. 
- Turned 3 on August 4th.
- Started preschool late August.
- Also has had less trips to the doctor.  
- Had only one ear infection.  That's the only ear infection she has ever had.  She doesn't even have tubes in her ears.  The doctor has not been able to get them in due to her small ear canals.
- Got good news about her vision.  It seems to have gotten a little better the last two times she has seen the retinal specialist.  We are so grateful for this wonderful blessing!

Haley
  
Kayla 
Last, but not least little Kayla.  Her first year was great!  She has been healthy except for some reflux and lots of spitting up.  Boy has our carpet seen the best of it.  So grateful for carpet cleaner!  Kayla's highlights for 2012:
- Experienced her first holidays and firsts of everything else. 
- Blessed at our church in March.
- Walked at 11 1/2 months.
- Turned one on December 9th!
- Overall very healthy.  No ear infections!  She has only been sick with colds here and there, but that is it!

Kayla

Another highlight for us that I have not written about was on April 28 we were on the front cover of the Houston Chronicle.  An article was written about us after another set of sextuplets were born in Houston on April 23.  It was a good article.   We also appeared on two news station reports.

Front cover of the paper
Inside of the newpaper

Well 2012 we say goodbye!  Looking forward to what 2013 will bring!  Much happiness, peace and blessings to all!       

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas 2012

Christmas time is a wonderful time to spend with friends and family as well as a time to enjoy all the lights, decorations, gifts, music, food and all that the magic of Christmas brings. But most importantly Christmas is a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Oh how eternally gratefully we are for the Birth of our Lord and redeemer even Jesus Christ.  Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow.  It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.  May His precious Spirit be with our family, friends and loved ones where ever they may be this beautiful Christmas season, and may He ever be the center of our celebrations and indeed of our very lives.  With much love we say Merry Christmas to all.  

The girls had a good Christmas this year.  Rachel and Haley still didn't understand what Christmas is all about and they still didn't understand opening of gifts, but they liked the toys they got after they were unwrapped by Thomas or I.

Daddy helping the girls open their gifts.
Rachel working on getting the paper off.
Daddy helping Haley open a gift.

We enjoyed our Christmas at home together as a family.  To spend Christmas with our precious miracle girls is a blessing!  We did have some good friends from our church over for dinner.  It was nice to spend time with them.  We are so grateful for our friends as well as our family.  We love you!  Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!



Last, but not least here is a picture of Haley and Rachel that was taken at the girls school.  They are so cute in their angel costumes.  My miracle angels!

Haley
Rachel

Sunday, December 23, 2012

My Christmas Girls

Rachel, Haley and Kayla all dressed up in their Christmas dresses.

Rachel
Haley
Kayla

The girls have been enjoying the Christmas tree.  They like the lights as well as the glittery ornaments.  Yes they do like to take them off the tree.  Thank goodness the ball ornaments are plastic.  So far only one has broken.  They can't help but touch.  My girls love the sparkle!

Kayla, Rachel and Haley
Rachel, Kayla and Haley

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Family Christmas Pictures 2012

We had family pictures taken the week after Thanksgiving for our Christmas card.  Here are my favorites.









Our Christmas card this year.  To all our readers, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Monday, December 17, 2012

Kayla's 1 year old photos

I finally finished taking and editing Kayla's twelve month photos.  I have really enjoyed taking her monthly pictures and seeing how she has grown the past year.  I would have loved to have done more photo shoots for Kayla's one year pictures, but I've been busy the last couple of weeks.  I'm planning to continue doing monthly pictures of Kayla til she is 2 just like I did with Rachel and Haley.  Seeing how active Kayla is getting, its going to be challenging to take her pictures just as it is now with Rachel and Haley.  I don't give up so more pictures of my girls are coming!


 









Saturday, December 15, 2012

Visit with Santa Claus

Growing up my mom took me to visit Santa every Christmas.  I have pictures of me visiting Santa from age 1 through 10.  So I am continuing the tradition with my girls.  I missed getting a picture of Rachel and Haley with Santa last year since Christmas was a little different (in a good way) with the arrival of our early Christmas gift (Kayla).  So I was excited to get the picture of the girls with Santa this year.  We have yet to go to the mall to get the girls picture with Santa.  We always seem to find him at a less traditional location.  This year we went to the Bass Pro Shops (huge sporting/outdoors store).

I didn't get to be in the picture since I had to take the picture.  Kayla had to be held by daddy or she would have cried.  This is Kayla's first time with Santa!



Outside of the store on our way out, there was this old truck.  I immediately saw a photo shoot opportunity.  The girls were tired after having to wait awhile for Santa so they didn't cooperate for these pictures.  This is what I was able to get.  Cute no matter what.  Love these girls!

Kayla, Rachel, Haley
Haley
Rachel
Kayla

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Date Night!

I have not written about a date night in a long time.  Thomas and I don't get out just the two of us that much.  We were able to get out on Monday night (12/10/12) to see the Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs basketball game.  Thomas is a big fan of the San Antonio Spurs (especially Tim Duncan) and has been wanting to see them play.  It was a good game.  It went into overtime and the Spurs won!  It was nice for Thomas and I to get out together.  We had a good time and we hope to be able to get out more together.  Next time we won't wait so long to get out together to have a date night.

View from our seats.  We had good seats.
Tim Duncan #21
Final score after overtime.  Spurs won!
Thomas and I

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Happy 1st Birthday Kayla!

Happy 1st Birthday Kayla!  I can't believe my baby girl is 1 years old!  Kayla is not my little baby anymore, she is now a busy toddler!  It feels like yesterday that I had her.  Kayla has been a blessing and a joy to our family.  We are so very blessed to have her along with her big sisters Rachel and Haley.


Kayla is walking!  She started walking at about 11 1/2 months.  I can't believe she is already walking.  She is so tiny to be walking.  Kayla's one year old stats are:  18 lbs, 6 oz (15% ile), 27 1/2 inches (10% ile), Weight for length 50% ile and her head circumference was only at the 3rd% ile.  She has a small head.  Kayla is petite.  She can still wear some 6 month clothing though she mostly wears 9 month size clothes.  

Here is a video of her walking.  I took this video on December 5, 2012.


At one year, Kayla has 5 teeth.  She is still working on that 6th tooth.  She is still eating mostly baby foods, but is eating and loving yogurt, finger foods such as graham crackers, crackers and puffs.  Kayla is still on formula because we tried the milk and she doesn't really care for it.  We will have to do a weaning process of mixing the formula and milk.  Also she loves her bottles so the process of weaning to the sippy cup has been slow.  Kayla does sleep through the night well, usually 12 hours.  I'm loving that!  She loves her baths.  She is active and squirms so much when I change her diaper and when I get her dressed.  Its a challenge!  She "talks" a lot.  She says "ma, ma", "da, da", "ba, ba" plus lots of other sounds.  She's not really saying any recognizable words yet but she "talks" like she is having a conversation.  She even does hand gestures when she talks.  Its really cute.  Kayla is very playful and happy.  She loves to be around people and other kids.  She especially loves to play with her big sisters.  Now that Kayla is walking, she is into everything!  I have to watch her constantly because she can get into things fast.  Kayla is such a delight and it has been a joy to see her learn and grow over the past year.  The next year will be fun!

We had her birthday party on Saturday December 8th.  Both grandparents came along with an aunt and uncle and friends.  It was a small little party, but it was perfect for celebrating Kayla.
  

 

I did make the Happy Birthday banner above and the party hat below.  The party hat was fairly simple to make.  I bought a pack of dollar store kids party hats, covered a hat with zebra print fabric and added ribbon around the bottom and a dollar store pom pom on top.  Costs much less than buying one on-line. 


Birthday Girl!

 
Kayla at the start of eating her slice of cake
Half way through eating her cake
All done!  She ate that whole piece of cake like a champ!
Ready for the gifts!
Kayla got a pink rocking horse.  She loved it!
Kayla and her good friend Franklin from church.  Isn't he cute?
Happy Birthday sweet girl!